‘Journalism’ the concrete form of the freedom of expression has grown in power over a period of time. Constitution of India guarantees to the citizen the right to “Freedom of Speech and Expression”. All freedoms are subject to reasonable restrictions, and are entailed responsibilities. In a democracy everyone is accountable to the people, and so is the media. The press is an indispensable pillar of democracy. Media not only reports but acts as a bridge between the state and the public.

Ethics is a code of values. In the context of the press, “Ethics” may be described as a set of moral principles or values which guide the conduct of journalism. High speed global access to information via the internet gives rapid rise to a host of new ethical issues regarding security, privacy, secrecy, international sovereignty and so on. The responsibilities and liabilities of working journalists and of the journalistic institutions for and within which they work, now it is being treated from the commercial point of view and has expanded to include advertising, entertainment and so on. One important set of ethical issues has to do with the overallsocial utility of advertising. Does a hungry or unemployed man want entertainment- or food and a job? The seminar intends to explore the following issues:

Freedom of the press and their responsibility

Media and democracy

Media and advertising

Media and entertainment

Media ownership and its effect on press performance

The role of media in India

Freedom of the Indian press and Press Council of India

Call for abstracts and papers

Interested academicians and scholars in the field are requested to submit full paper along with abstract (within 300 words) positively by 31st July, 2013. Full paper and abstract should be computer typed and printed on A4 size paper with one and half spacing. Each paper should have a separate title page, author’s name, mailing address, phone number and email address (if any). Selected papers will be presented in the seminar. The abstract and the paper may be sent by email to the following address:

Accommodation: Accommodation for the outstation delegates will be available on advance information and payment of `200/- per day per person. T.A. will be provided only to the invited resource persons.

Registration

Faculty/ Research Fellow other than the host college `350/-

Faculty/ Research Fellow of the host college `250/-

Access to the venue: The college is situated on the State Highway (12A) between Siliguri and Cooch Behar via Mathabhanga. The Mathabhanga town is about 32 Kms. from Falakata Railway Station and about 47 Kms. from New Cooch Behar Railway Station.